May 2022
Hi Everyone, welcome to the May newsletter.
I just got back from a weekend fibre craft retreat at Hummocks Station in South Australia’s mid-north. It was organised by our local yarn shop, Knit-Spin-Weave. I went to the inaugural one last year.
I took my two children, a tent, and a seemingly enormous amount of luggage. We left Mr H at home to have a quiet weekend.
The retreat’s vibe was knitting, crochet, weaving, dyeing and just sitting around talking. The loveliest part was that it was all-ages. There were about half a dozen school age participants who all did workshops and made things, and it gave the weekend a certain energy.
Starts today! Zen Stitching online retreat
On the subject of retreats, it’s not too late to register for the FREE Zen Stitching online retreat. It’s the retreat you can go to without even leaving home :)
20+ artists will present creative techniques over 5 days.
I was a presenter last year and this is a great opportunity to discover and try something new.
Early days: new zero waste pattern
Lately I’ve been trying to incorporate more curves into zero waste patterns, and now have a blouse pattern ready to start work on. Pretty happy with the first sample. Here’s a Merchant and Mills-esque (colour!) photo of it:
A Year of Zero Waste Sewing update
In March I started writing a new book, A Year of Zero Waste Sewing, which I’m experimentally publishing in installments as a zine. You can read about it here and download the first installment for free.
The next two installments are nearly ready! They should be available in the next 1-2 weeks.
Some things you might enjoy…
Some artists in Spain crocheted a canopy to shade the street. (Instagram)
Lovers of dress-ups: an older brother surprised his younger brother by meeting him at the bus stop each day in a different costume. (Youtube, 3:53mins) Hmmm…maybe I should start meeting the school bus each day in wild ‘n’ wacky fancy dress - I’m sure my children would love it!
Some free vintage sewing books are available to download here and here.
An oversized bumbag/crossbody/sling bag made from denim remnants (Instagram). I really want to make one!
Visit the Underpinnings Museum, an online underwear museum with excellent photographs, historical and technical information.
Should we limit resource use in the fashion industry? It’s one idea in this article about fast fashion.
How rare is it for a homemade outfit to be on the cover of Vogue magazine? Especially a power-packed cover like this one - take a look (it’s the dress on the left). High fives HandmadebyCarolyn! Read about how she came to make this dress and the special fabric.
Reclaim the Void is a bold project to cover a mining hole in Western Australia with a ‘dot painting’ tapestry of hand crafted rugs made from recycled fabric.
While working on A Year of Zero Waste Sewing zines, I was alerted to Charlotte Bronte's zine which she wrote when she was a teenager.
What happened to the wedding dress from The Sound of Music movie? Here's what it looks like now.
A beaut video showing how to make a repeating pattern. (Instagram, 20secs)
Sue Stoney took part in a sew-a-long for a Ukranian pattern designer. It’s a very clever skirt pattern and Sue’s looks great.
On the blog lately…
5 ways to wear culottes, from the fabulous, to the classic, to the sporty.
There’s been a whirlwind of fashion exhibitions lately. I attended The Mayor with Flair (in Clare) and the following week went to see Living in the 1970s and Silhouettes - fashion in the shadow of HIV/AIDS.
I tried on my wedding dress for our 23rd anniversary. It fitted…but only just!
…and on the blog archives
Sewing a pork chop. A what? It’s a pressing tool, like a ham. I can highly recommend it - I use mine all the time.
The Cendre top blooper reel - please have a laugh on me :)
Happy sewing,
Cheers! Liz